Cable-railway car



HOBART W. MGNEILL, OF OSKALOOSA, IOVA, ASSIGNOR TO THE RASMUSEN CABLECOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CABLEURAI LWAY CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming parc of Let-ters Patent No. 358.685, dated March1.1887- Application led April 28, 1886.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, HOBART W. MoNnILL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Oskaloosa, in the State ofIowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Cable-Itailway Cars, of which I do declare the following to be afull, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification.

IVIy present invention has relation to the improvement of cable-railwaycars of that class wherein the attachment of the car to theconstantly-moving cable is eifected by means of a sprocket-wheelsustained beneath the car, the I 5 arms of said sprocket-wheel enteringthe slot of the cable-tube and engaging with suitable stops fixed atintervals upon the traveling cable; and my invention consists in theseveral novel features of construction, hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly defined inthe claims at the end of this specification.

Figure l is a View in vertical longitudinal section at one side of thesustaining-frame of the sprocket-wheel. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the carwheels and axles, the sprocket-wheel, and its sustaining-frame. Fig. 3is an enlarged view in vertical transverse section through thesprocket-wheel and its supports 5o through the cable-tube beneath thesaine.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view, in side elcvation, of thesprocket-wheel and a portion of its sustaining-frame. Fig. 5 is a viewin transverse section on line x x of Fig. 4.

A designates the floor of the car-body, which will be supported in theusual manner upon the axlesB of the car-wheels B. Between the axles Bextends the sustainingframe of the sprocket or spider wheel, this frameconsist- 4o ing of the bars vC and C. The ends of these bars aresupported by means ofthe straps c upon the axles, or by any othersuitable connection with the axles or their journal-supports, so as notto be affected bythe movement of the cansprings. The bars C and C of thesustaining-frame incline downwardly from the axles toward the centralportion of the car, and are preferably connected together by 'means ofshort cross-bars o', and from the up- Serial No. 200,445. (No modell.)

per face of each of the bars C and C rises a 5o journal-bracket, D, thebottoms di of these brackets being bolted to the bars C and C.

On the inner faces of the brackets D suitable ribs, d', are formed, uponwhich slide the journal-boxes E of the axle F of the sprocketwheel andfriction-drum, these journal-boxes being preferably of sections suitablybolted together.

The body of the sprocketwheel G, which, in the construction shown7 alsoconstitutes the 6o body of the frictioirdrum, may be formed of malleableiron or other suitable metal, while the arms g of this wheel, which arebolted to the body, as at g, are preferably formed of steel andcomparatively thin. Il' desired, 6 5 however, the sprocket-wheel may beformed separate from the frictiondrum, it being sim ply necessary thatit should be held in such relation to such drum that the movement of thewheel may be controlled by that of the 7o drum. rlhe periphery of thewheel G is formed with a friction-groove between the iianges g2, andwithinV this groove fits the friction-strap H, which serves to check orarrest the movenient of the wheel. One end of the strap H is fastened tothe bar h, that is hinged to the bar h, that extends between the mainbars of the sustaining-frame, while the opposite end of thefriction-strap is connected to the arm i of the elbow-lever I, which isjournaled with- 8o in a bracket, K, thatis bolted, as shown at la', uponthe sustaining-frame.

To the outer sides of the bars C and C of the sustaining-frame of thesprocket-'wheel are bolted the plate-springs L, the free ends of whichproject upward and bear against the ends of the axle of thesprocket-wheel. It will be observed that this axle is fitted within itsbearings in such manner as to be capable of lateral movement, and thepurpose of the 9o springs is to restore the axle to a normally centralposition after it has been moved therefrom.

rIo the arm t of the elbow-lever I will be attached a chain or cable, M,connecting this lever to the winding-post M at one end of the car, andfrom the other arm, i, of the lever will extend the chain or cable N,leading to the winding-post N at the opposite end of the car.

To the top of the j ournal-boxes of the sprocket-wheel and friction-drumare fastened suitable loops, 0, which, when the sprocket-wheel andfriction-drum have been lifted in vertical direction, will engage withthe hooks O at the top of the journal-brackets, and will serve tosustain such wheel and drum in elevated position. A latch, O4, engagingwith notches in the brackets may also be used to hold the journal-boxesat the top of bottom of the brackets.

It-will be observed that in the iioor of the car u the cable.

a trap-door, A', is formed, through which the sprocket-wheel may bereached, and through which, also, the arms of this Wheel may projectwhen it has been elevated. rlhe blades or arms g of the sprocket-wheelare of sufficient length to extend through the slot of the cable-tube Pand engage with the stops It, fixed upon the cable S at suitabledistances corresponding with the arms of the sprocket. The cable issupported, as shown, upon thetrucks T at proper intervals throughout itslength, these trucks being connected to the stops of The construction ofthe cables, trucks, or stops, being fully described and claimed in anapplication filed by me of even date herewith, and numbered 200,446,need not be more particularly set out herein, nor need the preciseconstruction of the cable-tube be herein dened, as it also constitutessubjectmatter of said companion application.

It will be readily seen that by lifting the sprocket-wheel in verticaldirection its projecting arms can be removed from the cabletube, so asto permit this wheel to pass over any obstructions-such, for example, asa rehose across the track or intersecting crosstracks or switches. Byplacing the sprocketwheel beneath the central portion of the car andextending suitable connecting chains or cables from its friction-drum tothe en ds of the car the movement of the sprocket-wheel from either endof the car can be readily controlled at pleasure, since by windingeither the chains M the elbow-lever I will be turned in such manner asto force the friction-strap to check the movement of the drum. Bysustaining the axle of the sprocket-wheel G in the manner shown a slightlateral movement of such wheel will be permitted as the ear istraversing a curve of the roadway.

I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate in the accompanyingdrawings any particular form of brake mechanism for the car, although itwill be readily understood that any suitable brake mechanism may beemployed to operate either conjointly with the frictionclutch of thesprocket-wheel, as in the patent of Rasmusen, dated October25, 1881, orindependently thereof, as in the ordinary car.

The operation of my improved cable-car will from the foregoingconstruction be readily apparent. When either of the winding-posts atthe end of the car has been turned so as to cause the friction-strap tobind upon the friction-drum and consequently check the movement of thesprocket-wheel, one of the arms of the sprocket-wheel will be caught bya stop of the endless cable, and the car will thus be moved forward. If,now, it is desired to stop the car, the winding-post at the end will bereleased, so as to relieve the pressure of the friction-strap upon thedrum and permit the sprocket-wheel to be revolved by the stops of thecable, which will engage successively with the projecting arms. Itwill'be readily understood that the sprocket-wheel could be located nearone side of the central portion of the car, in case it should be deemeddesirable to locate the cable-tube near one of the tracks, and where theexpression central portion of the car is used in this specication I donot wish to be understood asinvolving alimitation which would excludesuch construction.

I am well aware that it has been heretofore proposed in cable-'railwaysystems of the kind to which my invention relates to provide avertically and laterally movable sprocketwheel beneath the centralportion of the car for engagement with the underground cable; and I amalso aware that in the patent of Rasmusen above referred to it wasproposed to control the sprocket-wheel located beneath the car by asuitable friction-drum having connections extending beneath to the endsof the car. To such construction, therefore, I do not broadly make anyclaim.

Havingthus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a cable-railway car, of a xed sprocket-wheelframe and a vertically-movable sprocket-wheel adapted to be raised orlowered independently thereof, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a cable-railwayV car, of a vertically-movablesprocket-wheel, a frame for sustaining said sprocket-wheel beneath thecentral portion of the car, said frame being provided with suitablebrackets or supports for the `journal boxes of the sprocket-wheel, andsuitable journal-boxes arranged to slide in said brackets or supports,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a cable-railway car, of a sprocket-wheel, afixed frame for sustaining said sprocket-wheel beneath the centralportion of the car, a vertically-movable sprocket-wheel sustained bysaid frame, a friction-drum connected with the sprocketwheel,afriction-strap connected with the drum in a manner permitting said drumto move in vertical direction, and a fixed lever connected to saidstrap, and suitable connections between said lever and its operatingdevice at the end of the car, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a cable-railway car, of a sprocket-wheel, aframe for sustaining said sprocket-wheel beneath the central portion ofthe car, a friction drum and strap for said sprocket-Wheel, a doubleelbow-lever IOO connected to said friction-strap, and suitable Wheeltoward a central portion, substantially connections extending from saidlever'to both as described. ends of the car substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a cable-railway HOART V MCNEILL 5 car, of a.iaterallymovabie sprocket-wheel, a. frame for sustaining saidsp10eket-whee1, and

Vituesses:

JAMES H. PEIRCE,

suitable springs for pressing said sproeket- GEO. P. FISHER, J1'.

